History

The Georgia Hunter Jumper Association (GHJA) was organized in 1973 with the goal of promoting and standardizing all recognized hunter jumper horse shows and other equestrian activities within Georgia and contiguous states and to act for the common good of exhibitors, sponsors, spectators and management.

The 2016 GHJA membership totals were nearly 740 active individual members, of whom 160 are life members; our membership is close to evenly divided between Junior (under the age of 18 years) and Senior members. Our members come from throughout the Southeast including: Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia. The Association maintains a registry of more than 2400 lifetime horse recordings with new registrations of approximately 200 horses and ponies each year.

The GHJA is an Affiliate Member of the US Equestrian Federation (USEF) and the US Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) and follows USEF rules unless GHJA rules supersede.

The GHJA is governed by a Board of Directors of 20 Senior members and is administered by an Executive Secretary. In addition, there are several committees handling areas such as Show Standards, Rules and Regulations, and Education, (to name a few) as well as numerous social activities.

The GHJA has been very active in supporting local and national charities and the Equestrian community. Some of the charities which the GHJA has supported over the past decade have been the Special Olympics of GA, JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), USEF Hurricane Katrina Equine Relief Fund, the Scottish Rite Children's Medical Center, Camp Sunshine -- a Center for Children with Cancer, the Bolshoi Colic Research Fund, the Crawford Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship, the American Horse Protection Association, the Georgia Equine Rescue League, and the United States Equestrian Team.